Yikes! It's a Tick!

While brushing Kaydee's hair I saw a dot and knew straight away that it was a tick, they are disgusting little creatures! So out came the tweezers and Callum nominated himself chief tick remover. (His expertise with tick removal goes way back to his Scout camp in June when he had to remove ticks from his fellow Scouting buddies backside lol). Hopefully we won't have too many more tick episodes, especially if we have some  cooler weather.

I love having a full house :)

With Jaidon here and a friend visiting I realized that we will need a bigger table in the near future! One of my go to recipes when I have a lot of kids to fed is porcupines with brocoli,  pasta and left over potato bake from Christmas.  Nom NOM!! And I love those silly moments when my little guys sit on the table to help me finish my dinner! 

Enjoying the wonderful Christmas weather at night

Merry Christmas 2013

Funky Photo in my Google+ Phone Backup Thingie!

I totally love it! So glad I was flicking through my old pics and came across it!

Home School Adventures

A few months ago we went to the Northey Street City Farm - a community farm set up in Brisbane for the community to access.


We were supposed to be meeting other home schoolers but somehow it didn't pan out. Mixed up my dates or something lol

So we were left to our own devices and ended up foraging for salad foods with a group of special needs adults who were there for a 'Foraged Lunch Day'.

 And the kids managed to befriend a regular who makes his own clay artwork from foraged clay he finds in the local area and fires it in a urn that he made himself, very cool :)

Quote of the Moment

Our Neighbours Vow Renewal - 28 years!

This weekend we were really blessed to be able to celebrate our neighbors 28 year wedding vow renewal. 

A beautiful location, beautiful dress and beautiful day!

(Apologies for the blurry pics not sure what happened there!)

Kaydence is 4!

My beautiful 3rd born daughter Kaydence has just turned 4!

I can't believe how quickly the years have passed, and while I am excited about the beautiful, independent little girl she is becoming, I can't help but feel some anxiety that she will be all grown up before I know it!

Happy Birthday my wonderful, sassy, 4 year old daughter!! oxox

Swimming at the Quarry :)

So its been ages and ages since my last post. Life has been busy as per usual, and I've missed being able to read my blog, reflect on and enjoy the business :)

So jumping back into it with an extra ordinary splash, with some pics from the local  quarry we have just discovered!

We had been traveling to a quarry about 30mins away and are so excited to find out that there is an old quarry just a few suburbs away!

The water was cool and refreshing, and while swimming in quarries is not everyone's cup of tea, I like to take my older kids down for a swim and to jump off the cliffs into the water. The big boys are generally the daring ones and will jump while the girls, Silas and I like to swim and relax. We even go fishing here and catch Australian Bass, 5 are now our pets in the fish tank!

I'll have to get some action shots to share :)

Quote of the Moment :)

My new adventure in Scouting

For the last few months I have been busy training as a Scout Leader. I have to admit that its pretty involved as we are an active Scout group that participates in a lot of camps and  is consistently working on Badge achievements.

I never participated in either Scouts or Girl Guides growing up so I am really enjoying my experience as a Leader.

Being invested as a leader - my official name is Cassowary

Lucky the Leader training is offered via E-Learning and I am able to complete my modules online after the kids go to bed.

While completing "How Scouting Began" I came across this letter that was written by the founder of the Scout Movement  Baden-Powell. I found it touching and many could relate to it even today.

 

"Dear Scouts,
… although I am not at this moment dying, I shall be doing so one of these days and I want to send you a parting word of goodbye.
Remember, it is the last you will ever hear from me, so think it over.

I have had a most happy life and I want each one of you to have as happy a life too.
I believe that God put us in this jolly world to be happy and enjoy life. Happiness doesn't come from being rich, nor merely from being successful in your career, nor by self- indulgence. One step towards happiness is to make yourself healthy and strong while you are a boy, so that you can be useful and so can enjoy life when you are a man.

Nature study will show you how full of beautiful and wonderful things God has made the world for you to enjoy. Be contented with what you have got and make the best of it. Look on the bright side of things instead of the gloomy one.

But the real way to get happiness is by giving out happiness to other people. Try and leave this world a little better than you found it and when your turn comes to die, you can die happy in feeling that at any rate you have not wasted your time but have done your best. 'Be Prepared' in this way, to live happy and to die happy -- stick to your Scout promise always - even after you have ceased to be a boy - and God help you to do it."

I have a blog!

"Wow! I now have a blog! After spending hours and hours reading blogs, I thought what the heck, lets give this a go, and if all else fails, well at least I can look upon this as a diary of sorts when my sleep deprived mind forgets what year it is. Now I just have to find the time........................"

My 1st ever blog post from back in 2009!!! And as the days get busy and some of my memories fade, to give way to new and exciting memories, I love the fact that I have a blog, full of wonderful pictures and my thoughts of happening from long ago. 

I've spent the day with the kids going back through my blog, as one would do with a photo album. But I don't keep a regular photo album now that I have all my photos digital.

Its days like this where it renews my blogging desire :) 

Its the little things I want to keep memories off - like Braith being independent and doing his own buttons up and chastising his lost bottle like a little old lady "Where are you cheeky milk bottle!" How cute!!

And that Aliya is getting so grown up now! She is able to easily navigate the computer, selecting movies to watch on a usb and set up the media player for her siblings!  I can rely on her to help out and actually do a task as I would do it :) And she has just lost 2 molars - that poor broke tooth fairy!

So back to blogging I go :)

Happy Birthday to ME!

Today I turned 32! Oh man! 32! 

The kid were cheeky and gave me cards that said 'Happy 23rd Birthday', ha! little did they know that I actually love being 32! 

So much more confident and sure of myself in my 30's then I was in my 20's!!

They do say the 30's are the new 20's! 

It took me a couple of goes to blow out the candles, perhaps old age is catching up with me?!

BEST DAY EVER :)

Homeschool point of view :)

 Livia shared this with me.

I love it that she gets why we have chosen to home school

 

Happy 13th Birthday to my 2nd born!!

My beautiful, clever and unqiue daughter turned 13.

 It seems like yesterday I was going into my fastest and easiest labor ever!

4 hrs in total! 

And she hasn't stopped being amazing since!! 

HAPPY 13TH BIRTHDAY LIVIA!!